The tricky thing, I'm finding, is getting students to come to the public classes. In particular, I'm thinking of my twice weekly class at Space 12. Space 12 is a community center on the east side of town that I first heard about because Frances got married there. It has a grass-roots feel, and it's the meeting place for several nonprofits, the neighborhood association, art shows, the occasional film screening or concert. Today I held my fifth morning yoga class there, and so far only one person (who doesn't work at Space 12) has both heard about the class and come. I know that this is how it goes when you start something up, but now what? The class is on the Space 12 website, it was featured in their October newsletter, it's advertised on a banner outside the center, I've made Facebook invites and I advertise it on my Facebook status, I've told everyone I know and put up flyers in local coffee shops.
I can think of several reasons it hasn't caught on. One is the location. When I think of the eastside, I think of young hipsters riding their bikes to the coffee shop where they will write poetry. It's home to the East Austin Art Tour, many of the homes on the Chicken Coop Tour, community gardens and lots of trendy food trailers. It sounds like the perfect place to hold yoga classes...but most of what I think of when I think of the eastside is the gentrified eastside, and Space 12 is about a mile outside of that.
Another reason I think it hasn't caught on is because nothing else goes on at Space 12 before about 10:30am. None of the people who use Space 12 already are accustomed to being there in the morning and since no one is there, no one sees that a class is going on.
It has crossed my mind that 9am may not be a good time, but I've ruled that out as something significant to consider right now. Although many people are at work at 9am, I've been to plenty of well-attended 9am classes at various venues.
Is it a waiting game now, or what else can I do?
3 comments:
Keep persevering!
How many people do you have on average?
I think it just takes some time for word to get around... keep it up!
It is the beginning of holiday time. Perhaps you can advertise giving yoga as a gift. Also, the new year is a time when people decide to start new things. Maybe some sort of advertising to start their healthy new year with you!
I would come if I weren't at work/ grad school during that time! I used to go to Annick's yoga-by-donation at Space 12 until my class time began to interfere with it this semester.
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